Brake for baby-carriages



(No Model.)

11. B. STEVENS BRAKE FOR BABY UARRIAGES.

No. 476,325. Patented June 7, 1892.

F 1 W a? iUIH Hm nlIlIIIl-ll H mummmnlllllten j a! I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL B. STEVENS, OF CORNING, NElV YORK.

BRAKE FOR BABY-CARRIAGES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 476,325, dated June 7, 1892.

Application filed February 13, 1892. Serial N 0. 421,446. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL B. STEVENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Corning, in the county of Steuben and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brakes for Childrens Carriages; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to brakes for childrens carriages which can be applied to old as well as new carriages without in any manner altering the construction of the carriage or weakening or disfiguring it in any of its parts, and which in use is normally applied to the wheels of thecarriage; and itconsists of two independent brake-levers held normally against the wheels by a strong spring or springs attached to their inner ends and the other end of the spring attached at a point on the bodysupport in front of the brake-levers, the brake-levers being operated by a suitable cord, chain, or rope attached to an operating lever or red applied on the pushbars or on the handle of the carriage, as will be hereinafter described, and specifically claimed.

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a childs carriage equipped with my improved brake; and Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the same.

A in the drawings represents a childs carriage of ordinary construction, and 13 my improved brake, which latter consists of two independent brake-levers O C, which are pivoted at a suitable point in their length to the carriage-frame, as at at, their outer ends provided with suitable brake-shoes c, which normally bear against the rear wheels, while to their inner ends are attached strong spiral or other suitable springs D, which latter are attached to the front axle or any other suitable point forward of the brake-levers. To the inner ends of the brake-levers an operating chain, cord, or rope E is attached, which extends rearwardly and is secured at its outer end to an operating rod or lever F, which is preferably pivoted atf on the handle-bar G, or on one of the push-bars H.

The handle-bar G is not altered in its construction, and is rigidly secured to the pushbars H, which is a superior construction to carriages equipped with brakes, which latter are operated by the push-handle, as the expense of altering old carriages to adapt them to this construction is considerable and almost impracticable, besides greatly weakening the push handle and bars. It will be observed that by attaching one end of the spring D to a point in front of the brake-levers and securing the other end of the spring to the inner front ends of the brake-levers the brakeshoes will be normally held against the wheels of the carriage, and that when it is desired to let off the brakes the operating-lever is pulled outward in the direction of the operator, which construction and operation will release the brakes more rapidly and effectually than if the spring was attached in rear of the brake-levers and the operating brake-rod pushed forward to let off the brakes, as by my construction I am enabled to utilize a long leverage power for overcoming the tension of the spring. When the lever is drawn outward, the spring is expanded and the natural tendency of the spring is to contract, and when permitted to do so the brakes are automatically applied. When it is de sired to prevent the return of the operatinglever F after being drawn outward, the lever may be placed behind a. pin, as G, or in a suitable notch on the handle-bar or on the push-bars.

By having the spring applied forward of the brake-shoe levers and to their longer arms 7 the combined power of the spring and the long arms of the brakeshoe levers is utilized for holding the brake-shoes normally acting against the wheels, and having the cord attached to the longer arms of the brake-shoe levers and in rear of said levers and attached to the hand operating-lever the combined power of the long arms of the brake-shoe levers and that of the handleveris utilized for overcoming the tension of the spring and re leasing the brakes.

In the drawings I have shown two springs; but it is obvious that a single spring might be employed and the spring attached to the front end of the lovers by branching rods. In the drawings I have also shown the springs attached to the front axle and the brake-shoes operating against the rear Wheels, and while I regard this as a preferable arrangement I contemplate attaching the springs to the rear axle or to thebody of the vehicle at a point in rear of the front axle.

' WVhat I claim as my invention is In a brake fora childs carriage,the combination of the carriage having a handle G rigidly secured to push-bars II, a pivoted horizontally-swinging lever F, independent pivoted horizontally-swinging brake-shoe levers G O, a spring or springs D, secured by one end to a point forward of the brake-levers and by the other end to the brake-levers, and an operating cord or rod F, attached to the inner end of the brake-levers and to the operatinglever F, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signaturein presence of two Witnesses.

DANIEL B. STEVENS. \Vitnesses:

BENJAMIN F. MARRIOTT, FRANK J. MoGLUsKnY. 

